HISTORY
Laisteridge mill was built in 1881 and was home to the Stevenson brothers (LTD). They made all manner of oil based lubricants, Wool creams, Soaps and Chemicals for dying textiles, Being in Bradford and surrounded by many many Cotton mills they were probably supplying most of them with oils and lubricants to run the Looms and to help recovery of the wool during spinning and carding, They also imported Olive oil and Gallipoli oil( an inferior replacement for olive oil). Also they had the original patent in tender warping , A form of dying ropes, Cotton and textiles in a vat of chemicals.
EXPLORE
I have passed by this place so many times while in and around Bradford and the big arched windows with no glass always looked so inviting but the metal bars over them always denied entry, Looking in, There was just enough to tantalise and tease. I was in the area at the beginning of the year and i thought i'd have a look just to see, I circled the place twice and then by accident of leaning against a gate i found my entry point. The floors were immediately spongy so care had to be taken as you could also see through some on it into the dark cellar below. I headed for the chemical vats first, a few toxic signs and corrosive stickers could be seen on the pipes to signify these carried chemicals at one point, The lingering smell of oil and diesel hung heavy in the air and the floor was wet and greasy. Onwards, Into the mill section and the natural decay in this lower floor was everything i had seen by smudging my face against the outer Bars of the windows and looking in. I now had two options! Up the wooden staircase or head for the corner stair case made from sturdier concrete? I chose concrete, That was until i was on the last leg of heading to the first floor and noticed two steps had been smashed off to deter people from reaching the floor above. I wasn't going to risk it as the staircase also went to the basement so i was already two stories high by my count and not wanting to fall and break my legs i stepped back and headed for the wooden staircase. Again spongy! Each step was like walking on egg shells, softly and with barely any weight in my step i progressed to the first floor. A little disappointed to see well nothing , Apart from more natural decay and some nice original heavy sliding doors. The concrete staircase was now fully accessible up the the rest of the mill so on i went for the next two floors, capturing anything of significance and then i hit the roof level, The tiles had gone long ago and this was the cause of the decay in the floors below, Although this floor seemed sturdier than the rest but the jewel in the crown was the cast iron support structure and the reason the mill had not collapsed as it was still doing what it was built for all those years ago. Moving into the other half above the chemical rooms the floors here were terrible, I got my shots of the decay and headed back down to look as the cellars. Again dark and greasy, A heavy chemical smell hung in the air and most things were stained by the a dirty brown residue. Now it was time to definitely leave and not before time, Just as i had made my exit two local junkies turned up and entered the premises.
WARNING PIK HEAVY!! Sorry.
Laisteridge mill was built in 1881 and was home to the Stevenson brothers (LTD). They made all manner of oil based lubricants, Wool creams, Soaps and Chemicals for dying textiles, Being in Bradford and surrounded by many many Cotton mills they were probably supplying most of them with oils and lubricants to run the Looms and to help recovery of the wool during spinning and carding, They also imported Olive oil and Gallipoli oil( an inferior replacement for olive oil). Also they had the original patent in tender warping , A form of dying ropes, Cotton and textiles in a vat of chemicals.
EXPLORE
I have passed by this place so many times while in and around Bradford and the big arched windows with no glass always looked so inviting but the metal bars over them always denied entry, Looking in, There was just enough to tantalise and tease. I was in the area at the beginning of the year and i thought i'd have a look just to see, I circled the place twice and then by accident of leaning against a gate i found my entry point. The floors were immediately spongy so care had to be taken as you could also see through some on it into the dark cellar below. I headed for the chemical vats first, a few toxic signs and corrosive stickers could be seen on the pipes to signify these carried chemicals at one point, The lingering smell of oil and diesel hung heavy in the air and the floor was wet and greasy. Onwards, Into the mill section and the natural decay in this lower floor was everything i had seen by smudging my face against the outer Bars of the windows and looking in. I now had two options! Up the wooden staircase or head for the corner stair case made from sturdier concrete? I chose concrete, That was until i was on the last leg of heading to the first floor and noticed two steps had been smashed off to deter people from reaching the floor above. I wasn't going to risk it as the staircase also went to the basement so i was already two stories high by my count and not wanting to fall and break my legs i stepped back and headed for the wooden staircase. Again spongy! Each step was like walking on egg shells, softly and with barely any weight in my step i progressed to the first floor. A little disappointed to see well nothing , Apart from more natural decay and some nice original heavy sliding doors. The concrete staircase was now fully accessible up the the rest of the mill so on i went for the next two floors, capturing anything of significance and then i hit the roof level, The tiles had gone long ago and this was the cause of the decay in the floors below, Although this floor seemed sturdier than the rest but the jewel in the crown was the cast iron support structure and the reason the mill had not collapsed as it was still doing what it was built for all those years ago. Moving into the other half above the chemical rooms the floors here were terrible, I got my shots of the decay and headed back down to look as the cellars. Again dark and greasy, A heavy chemical smell hung in the air and most things were stained by the a dirty brown residue. Now it was time to definitely leave and not before time, Just as i had made my exit two local junkies turned up and entered the premises.
WARNING PIK HEAVY!! Sorry.
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